The efforts to prepare conservation plans for the Validebağ Grove, which is the first natural habitat on the 354 decare area in Üsküdar, one of the breathing points of Istanbul, started in 2013.
Lastly, in 2018, the Provincial Directorate of Environment and Urbanization asked for updated institutional views for plans that have gone to the conservation boards.
The amendments made in line with the opinions received from the 21 institutions in line with the opinions taken in the plan were brought to the agenda by the IMM Assembly in the parliament session on 13 February 2020. The zoning plans were accepted by majority vote with the opposition of the CHP group.
THAT IT’S NOT REMOVED
CHP did not approve of the decision due to the article “1-storey-removable outbuilding type 1-storey buildings can be constructed that do not exceed a total of 100 square meters in the entire planning area”.
Despite the warnings of the CHP, the plan note, which would lead to construction in the grove with a building ban, was not removed from the plan. Once the plans are approved, they will be suspended for appeals. Validebağ Volunteers, who have been struggling to protect the grove for years, will object to the plans.
HOSPITAL CONSTRUCTION SUGGESTION NOT INCLUDED
The plan note, which paved the way for construction in the grove, was not removed from the zoning arrangement, but the requests for construction from some institutions were also rejected.
The arrangement requested by the Privatization Administration and Marmara University Rectorate for Cardiovascular Diseases Hospital in the grove was not taken into consideration due to the strict ban on construction in the first degree natural protected areas.
The proposal of the Provincial Directorate of Health to change the plan rating of the “100 square meter, single storey buildings” that caused the opposition of the CHP to “500 square meter and 2 storey removable-removable structures” should not be suitable.
